Equipment Controller for Component Allocation and Vehicle Capacity Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing the movement and inventory of components and equipment within and between facilities is challenging due to the complexity of tracking locations, capacities, and allocation requests, leading to inefficiencies in production and logistics.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising processors and communication units that receive and process signals for component and vehicle locations, schedule allocation requests based on designated times, and monitor vehicle capacities to optimize the movement of components within facilities, allowing for the combination of components into vehicles for efficient allocation and transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual tracking and scheduling of components and equipment is used, then operational flexibility is maintained, but tracking accuracy and scheduling efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking and scheduling operations with an automated control system that uses processors and communication units to receive signals, process data, and generate control signals. This substitution of mechanical/manual systems with automated electronic systems resolves the contradiction by improving tracking accuracy through systematic data collection and processing while managing complexity through centralized automation.
2Productivity
If automated control system is implemented, then scheduling efficiency and productivity are improved, but system complexity and initial investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed to perform multiple functions including receiving component location signals, vehicle location signals, and allocation requests; scheduling operations; monitoring vehicle capacities; and generating movement control signals. This multi-functionality improves scheduling efficiency by consolidating various control tasks into a single integrated system, thereby managing complexity through functional consolidation rather than proliferation of separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically processes allocation requests, schedules operations, and generates control signals without requiring constant human intervention. The automated scheduling and monitoring capabilities enable the system to manage itself, improving productivity while the self-service nature helps manage complexity by reducing the need for external control mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If real-time monitoring of vehicle capacities is implemented, then resource utilization is optimized, but information processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously receives signals indicative of vehicle capacities and component locations, processes this feedback information, and generates appropriate control signals to optimize resource utilization. The feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring and adjustment of resource allocation, improving adaptability while the systematic processing of feedback information manages the information processing load through structured data handling.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes transportation vehicles within a facility, an equipment controller, and a communication unit. The communication unit receives signals indicative of component locations within the facility, vehicle locations within the facility, and/or allocation requests for at least one of the components. The equipment controller schedules enactment of the allocation requests based on designated times associated with operations involved in the enactment of the allocation requests and monitors capacities of the transportation vehicles to carry the components within the facility while the transportation vehicles enact the allocation requests. The equipment controller generates signals for movement control of the transportation vehicles in order to combine the components for the allocation requests in at least one of the transportation vehicles. The transportation vehicles move the components within the facility as combined in the at least one of the transportation vehicles to enact the allocation requests according to the enactment that is scheduled.